February is a month of profound spiritual transformation and insight, marked by a Lunar and a Solar Eclipse, by a Pisces stellium and by the activity of Jupiter which will also turn retrograde on the 6th of February.

The Lunar Eclipse on the 25of of February is the last eclipse on the Virgo / Pisces axis. In the past 18 months the North Node in Virgo has been teaching us to get real, bring order to chaos and know our self-worth.

The Solar Eclipse in Leo will mark a new series of eclipses on the Leo / Aquarius axis. The focus will shift from being of service to others to bringing ourselves out there and showing the world what we got (The North Node will officially enter Leo on the 10th of May, so we still have some time to finish any unfinished Virgo business).

February kicks off with a square between Mercury at 23° Capricorn and Jupiter at 23° Libra on the 2nd of February. This is a gregarious aspect making us want to talk…and talk, and talk and share our ideas with the others.

On February 3rd Venus enters Aries. In Aries, Venus is very assertive and in a way exactly the opposite of Venus in Pisces. In the next weeks we will learn a great deal about what Venus in Aries stands for, because Venus will turn retrograde on the 4th of March at 13° Aries and will spend quite a bit of time in this sign. I will write an article about the significance of this Venus retrograde closer to the date.

On the 6th of February Jupiter turns retrograde at 23° Libra. Jupiter will stay retrograde until 9th of June so we will have 4 months of philosophical and spiritual introspection, especially in the area of relationships.

Mercury enters Aquarius on the 7th of February and our communication and ideas will become more unconventional.

On the 10th of February we have the Full Moon & Partial Lunar Eclipse at 22° Leo. The Eclipse will be visible form most parts of the world, including Europe and the Americas (it won’t be visible in Australia and New Zealand though).

Astrologically this Full Moon and Eclipse is truly special, because it is supported by a mystic rectangle (Moon 22° Leo, Sun 22° Aquarius, Uranus 21° Aries and Jupiter 23° Libra). This mystic rectangle will manifest the Jupiter Uranus opposition energy so expect an extremely dynamic time.

Saturn is beautifully positioned in a Fire grand trine together with the Moon and Uranus (and sextile Sun and Jupiter) making sure that any tension emerging from the Jupiter Uranus opposition is channeled into strength and determination. This Full Moon is about self-expression. Creativity runs very high and if you have personal planets or angles around 22° in Fixed signs your creative expressions can reach all times high. This Full Moon is a good time to do what you really enjoy doing – focus on your hobbies and what makes YOU happy.

On 11th of February Sun trine Jupiter will bring personal wellbeing and abundance. We will simply feel better about ourselves. Sun and Jupiter are in Air signs favoring communication and any other pursuit of the mind. If you have planets around 23° in Libra and Aquarius OR if you have The Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury, AC or MC at 23° Gemini, you will really win the stars lottery, because the Sun and Jupiter will form a grand trine fully supporting your creative expressions.

Sun enters Pisces on 18th-19th of February and few days later connects with the South Node of the Moon, confronting us for the last time with our “old self” and inviting us to finally separate from our false hopes and illusions.

On 21st of February Mercury at 22° Aquarius is trine Jupiter at 22° Libra. This is a great day to give a presentation or have an important meeting. We are now very persuasive and contagiously optimistic. Just like the Sun / Jupiter trine – if you have planets around 23° in Air signs this will be an excellent day for you.

On 22nd of February Mars at 18° Aries is square Pluto at 18° Capricorn and our temper will tend to be shorter and we will be more likely to get into arguments. Mars in a tense aspect to Pluto in Cardinal signs is no joke. Are we going to set some healthy personal boundaries this time or are we going to give in to the irresistible pull of the unknown? Mars in Aries is brave and fearless and he can bring to the surface a conflict that needs our attention. We now have the chance to achieve a resolution.

The New Moon and powerful Solar eclipse in at 8° Pisces occurs on the 25th or 26th of February, depending where you live. The Eclipse will be visible from South West Africa and from most of South America.

The Eclipse will be a remarkable spiritual experience. The Sun and the Moon are “sandwiched” in the sky between the South Node of the Moon and Neptune. Our intuition will be heightened and we will feel in tune with every little thing around us, with every sensation, every feeling. Music and any type of art can now become mystical experiences. Pisceans, Pisces rising people, as well as all of us with planets around 8° in Pisces will feel the energy of this eclipse very strongly. Mercury enters Pisces just before the New Moon so we will have a Pisces stellium at the time of this unique astrological event (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Neptune, South Node and Chiron).

The month will end on a high energy, positive note. Between 26th and 28th of February Mars will be very active in the sky, firstly applying a conjunction to Uranus, and then an opposition to Jupiter, activating again the Jupiter Uranus opposition. This will be a restless and wild time. Enjoy the ride but make sure you fasten your seat belt 😉

February is one of the most favorable months of the year, beautifully supported by highly beneficial astrological configurations such as grand trines and mystic rectangles – make sure you make the best out if it!

The New Moon in Aquarius occurs – depending where you live – on the 27th or 28th of January, at 8° Aquarius. The New Moon in Aquarius is unaspected, making it very potent and free willed.

The Sabian symbol of the New Moon in Aquarius is “A flag is seen turning into an eagle” asking us to “act out” our vision. And indeed, the ruler of the New Moon – Uranus – still in a tense opposition to Jupiter in Libra, will not shy away from a confrontation, if this is what it takes to raise awareness about what he cares most: higher knowledge and perspective, idealism and freedom.

Put it simple, Jupiter/ Uranus infused in the unaspected New Moon energy will make us want to break free once and for all!

Moreover, right now all planets (including the North Node!) are direct, inviting us to act and take advantage of every opportunity that comes along.

Immediately after the New Moon, Mars enters its domicile Aries which is the same sign Uranus currently resides in, giving us the extra energy boost we need to bring the Uranian agenda forward. This first New Moon of 2017 sets the tone for the turbo charged rest of the year.

The Chinese New Year starts as well on the 28th of January (The first day of the Chinese New Year always falls on the new moon between 21 January and 20 February). 2017 is the Year of the Fire Rooster. Roosters are a symbol of freshness and new beginnings. The rooster crows every morning to announce the Sun’s daily rise – in the past the rooster was the farmers’ wake up call. We see the themes of fresh perspectives, breakthroughs and progress coming over and over again, with every symbol.

The essence of Aquarian / Uranian energy is purely expressed during the New Moon. Every sign has one chance every year to tell the world what that sign stands for. Aquarius energy longs for the freedom to simply be and express itself as it is (Uranus rules lightings and thunders BTW). Aquarius represents the insatiable thirst for discovery, and rejection of the obsolete. It is not about the novelty for the sake of novelty, or about being different just to go against the grain, but about the freedom to be an individual. Aquarius is a human sign which represents the higher knowledge that is expressed and shared with the others.

Mercury is close to a conjunction to Pluto at the time of the New Moon. If you remember back in December (more exactly on the 19th of December) Mercury turned retrograde at the exact same degree. So it is at the time of the New Moon that Mercury finally leaves the “shadow” retrograde zone, getting ready for a confrontation with mighty Pluto.

Mercury has been dancing around Pluto for a while now, getting close to him, but not quite there, as if it had something to hide. But this time no more fooling around. If you have angles or planets around 15-17° in Capricorn (or Cancer, Libra, Aries) something quite shocking will be revealed to you. Alternatively you will finally speak out the truth on a matter that has been bothering you for a while.

Another transit occurring during the New Moon in Aquarius is an aftermath of Venus square Saturn (the transit is exact few hours before the New Moon). The Venus Saturn transit becomes even more relevant because the Moon and the Sun (which are of curse in a conjunction) are close to the midpoint between Venus / Chiron in Pisces and Saturn in Sagittarius. The New Moon in Aquarius becomes the bridge that materializes our vision (Saturn in Sagittarius) and brings it, like a mantra, to the world, to heal our hearts and connect us with the Spirit (Venus, Chiron and Neptune in Pisces).

Exposing that sore spot in your heart is not easy. And Chiron won’t give you any “magic pill” to make the pain go away. Chiron looks for the root cause, for whatever is unresolved, unreconciled, unhealed, buried deep within your heart.

So yes, your heart will crack open, and in the process, you may shed some tears. But there is hope at the end of the tunnel. Chiron is not only the wounder, Chiron is also the gifted teacher, prophet, and mentor.

Chiron’s symbol is the KEY – the magic key that opens any door, unlocks any secret and heals any pain. And what is the key? Your Wound is the key.

Your Wound is your Gift.

It is only when you finally embrace the Wound which is, in fact, your Gift, when you heal. You cannot remove the Wound (Chiron is called the wounded healer for a reason – Chiron’s wounds never really heal) – because by removing your Wound, you would be amputating a part of yourself.

In truth, nothing needs fixing. Your Would is part of your personal history, it is part of You. Whatever you are experiencing right now, it makes absolute sense at a higher order of existence. Your life is in perfect order and balance, even if you might not see it that way. You were born for a reason, and your life IS unfolding as it should.

And if you are ready to embrace the idea that nothing is wrong with you, during this transit you can discover a skill, a talent for the first time. A blind spot can become a strength. A shadow can turn into light. Shame can turn into authentic vulnerability.

Chiron’s vulnerabilities can create an intense magnetism – you can find yourself drawn to the promise of healing.

Mars is conjunct Chiron, giving us a full “taste” of the Chiron medicine.

We cannot understand Chiron without Saturn. Saturn represents the teacher that looks after us and keep us from harm, making sure we are going to survive in a harsh world. But Saturn also represents our boundaries, our “material”, human limitations.

Saturn is the last planet visible with the naked eye – everything beyond him is “invisible”. Starting with Uranus, we enter a less tangible and more abstract zone, that affects less the individual, and more generations of individuals.

And here it comes Chiron. What makes Chiron so special (Chiron symbol is the “Key” for a reason) is that he is in orbit between Saturn and Uranus, between “what is to be seen” and “what is not to be seen”.

In this way Chiron is the connecting link between the conscious archetypes of all the planets known from the ancient times, and the subconscious aspects represented by Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

Chiron represents the instinct of the human spirit seeking to manifest itself and leave something immaterial behind. Our spirit seeking manifestations represents our “gifts”. Chiron is also a symbol of the wounded healer, and his role is to prepare us for the journey to the unknown. Chiron brings pain because we need pain to experience the higher vibration of consciousness.

The square series of Chiron and Saturn will prepare us to undertake the initiatic journey of the Soul.

The way Mars will bring to the surface Chironic themes is by brutally exposing our pain. Mars with Chiron are associated with shame, because Chiron exposes our very first pain, the pain of our existence. Mars stands for assertivity, for our desire to put ourselves “out there”.

With Chiron, we will find that our ability to assert ourselves, to BE ourselves is obstructed. We are ashamed of who we are, we are ashamed to act and “get out there”. And we feel unable to defend ourselves.

The deeper significance of this dynamic is the difficulty to separate ourselves from “the outside world” – and when we don’t know where the limit sits, the outcome is either a drive to set these necessarily boundaries by “being aggressive” or a tendency to see “the other” as the enemy, the intruder, the “boundary setter”.

How can we know what is our place in this world when we don’t know where we stand? We ultimate fear of Mars conjunct Chiron is that by only being ourselves, we will hurt others.

It does not help that in Pisces, Mars become even less assertive – and in his lower manifestations he can become ambivalent and passive aggressive. But Pisces is also the sign of Compassion – and the transit of Mars and Chiron in Pisces is a GIFT, an opportunity to exercise and release that inner aggression we all have.

The key to healing is learning to turn the anger, the shame and the pain of being a mortal human into strength and compassion. The message is understanding that there is nothing to be ashamed of.

The theme of assertion becomes even more apparent if we think Chiron is also known as the “Maverick”. Chiron travels between Saturn (authority, rules), and Uranus (the rebel, the revolutionary) – and just like the maverick, Chiron follows HIS OWN course.

And now we come closer to a deeper truth. In his higher manifestation, Chiron does not stand for hurt, bully and shame. Chiron is a half horse, half human, force of nature that has transcended his human limitations and has brought the gifts of the nature to the Gods. Chiron is the sacred warrior.

But to reach these higher realms of Chiron, Mars conjunct Chiron will challenge us to heal the aggressive side of our nature. We need to learn now how to assert ourselves in a healthy way and stand our ground.

By expressing our inner aggression effectively and being firm but gracious, we can become teachers and mentor for other people dealing with the same issues.

Healing our aggression comes hand in hand with learning how to cultivate bravery. Because Chiron exposes Mars’ vulnerability, the tendency to cowardice, to punish ourselves for not trying harder, is very strong now.

Although painful, these difficulties can make our patterns of behavior more conscious and will ultimately lead to acceptance and healing.

In its highest expression, Mars – Chiron stands for energy and spirit coming together with a strong drive to take action, and leave something behind for those who will follow.

The Full Moon occurs on January 12th at 22° Cancer, triggering a Cardinal Cross involving Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. No need to be intimidated by this dynamic cosmic configuration. The motherly sign of Cancer will transform the Cardinal Cross into a loving embrace.

We will all experience this Full Moon very profoundly, and those of us with personal planets around 22° in Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) will be in the spotlight big time.

Frida Kahlo – The Love Embrace of The Universe

The theme and the deeper meaning

Full Moons in Cancer are by default very powerful. Moon is Cancer’s ruler and the Moon is at her highest expression when is Full (180° away from the domineering Sun) and can shine in her full splendor. Therefore this Full Moon is really all about the Moon, and what the Moon stands for: mothership, intuition, feelings, the soul, children and social consciousness.

What about the Cardinal Cross? Cardinal Grand Crosses involve the most sensitive points in a chart – the AC/DC and the IC/MC axis: “Me” vs. “We” (Aries – Libra) and “Inward” vs “Outward” (Cancer – Capricorn). Who are we? How did we come to be? What is our place in the Universe? These profound questions bring up a host of other inquiries about one’s search for meaning – and a Cardinal Grand Cross will always bring these themes to the awareness. Know thyself and know thy place – and then everything will unfold as it is meant to.

The sabian symbol of this Full Moon is ”The meeting of a literary society”. A literary society sounds rather posh and intellectual – but those of you who attended book clubs know what usually happens when a literary society meets: intense and heated discussions accompanied by a lot of drinking. This sounds exactly like a Full Moon in Cancer triggered by a Jupiter-Uranus opposition. Passionate, emotional, intense, conflicting, progressive.

The aspects – a Cardinal Cross, Pluto, Mercury and a lovely-dovey Venus Neptune

Mercury will enter Capricorn literally minutes after the Full Moon (it is at 29°57’ in Sagittarius at the time of the Full Moon). Mercury at 0° in a sign at the time of the Full Moon will amplify and of course, communicate, whatever the Full Moon has to reveal. Expect surprising news and announcements.

This Full Moon is also only a few degrees away from Pluto, triggering some family dynamics. Pluto is cathartic and powerful, and with the Cancer Moon we now have the opportunity to transcend some unhealthy family bonds.

I already mentioned the Jupiter-Uranus opposition which has been in effect for a month now. If you did not figure out yet what this important aspect of 2017 stands for, this Full Moon will expose the dynamic of this opposition, illuminating it brilliantly. Some themes have started to emerge already, but during the Full Moon in Cancer the Jupiter-Uranus opposition themes will be clearly revealed to us.

There is a risk that Uranus’ push for rapid change will outweigh Jupiter’s rather balanced and relationship-oriented outlook (Jupiter is like that only when in Libra, otherwise he likes rapid change, and especially rapid growth!). We can never really be ready or prepared for what Uranus has to bring – but this energy will help us build the muscle we need in order to adapt to a world full of uncertainties and surprises.

Fortunately, in the middle of this chaos, Saturn in Sagittarius beautifully supports this Full Moon with a trine to Uranus and a sextile to Jupiter. Saturn helps calm down Uranus in Aries’s unpredictability and thirst for chance, and gives Jupiter the means to make things happen in a productive and sustainable way.

Pluto is widely conjunct the Capricorn Sun and that means he also opposes the Cancer Moon. A good thing is that Pluto is sextile to Mars in Pisces. Mars is Pisces is rather non-confrontational so it will turn Pluto’s strength and conviction into compassion.

Another aspect that supports the claim that this Full Moon is rather a loving embrace than a cross we need to bear is Venus conjunct Neptune. This is one of the most beautiful and romantic aspects we can get. Falling in love under these circumstances has never been easier or more natural. Venus and Neptune meet in the emotional and empathetic sign of Pisces and literally, all we need is love. If you have planets around 9° Pisces (including a birthday around 12th of January) you will experience intense and overwhelmingly beautiful feelings.

All in all, during this Full Moon important situations will likely come to a peak point and decisions will need to be made. But no need to worry. This Full Moon is a very honest, candid lunation and it WILL give us the clarity we need to make the next step in full awareness. Trust the universe is there to support you, no matter what.

The 1st Full Moon of the year was also known as the Wolf Moon by the indigenous people. The Wolf stands for our connection with the world of instincts. The Wolf has very strong intuition and represents the raw nature in action. The symbolism of the Wolf goes very well with the symbolism of the Full Moon in Cancer. If you want to learn more about how the Native American called each Full Moon of the year and the symbolism behind, I recently wrote an article about this, you can read it here

The Native American Full Moon names date back to when Native Americans lived in what is now the northern and eastern United States.

The Algonquin Full Moon names, and variations used by many other Native American tribes, are poetically descriptive of the seasons and of nature’s gifts. The indigenous people kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring Full Moon.

The names they had for the Full Moons are related to nature and the seasons, hunting, fishing, and farming. They also reflect the harsh climate of the Northern parts of the continent, and the traditions and lifestyle of its first people.

January – The Wolf Moon

The Wolf Moon is the first Full Moon of the year, when we are taking the first step into the year guided by the spirit of the Wolf. January was called the Wolf Moon by the Algonquians because the wolves are out in the deep snows and under the bright light of the Full Moon this time of year, searching for pray to slake their hunger.

Arapaho of the Great Plains called the January Full Moon “When Snow Blows Like Spirits In The Wind”, Passamaquoddy “Whirling Wind Moon”, the Haida of Alaska called it “Bear Hunting Moon” and the Zuni of the Southwest, “When Limbs Of Trees Are Broken By Snow”.

Even nowadays the wolves’ howling is associated with the moon. Just like the wolf who is designedto handle the brutality of the cold very well, so can we use the resourcefulness of the wolf to go for what we want, with all force and without fear. January is that time of the year to start again and tune into the cycles of nature.

February – The Snow Moon

The Snow Moon marks the time of the year when in the northeastern regions the heaviest of snows fall. Because the tribes had now more time to spend inside their homes, the Snow Moon was a time for rituals, fasting and personal purification. Ancestors are now honored by passing on their stories to the younger generations.

Hunting becomes very difficult, that’s why some other Native American tribes called the February Full Moon the Hunger Moon. Other references to the weather were made by the Arapaho who called it “Frost Sparkling In The Sun”. To the Lakota, February was the “Moon When The Trees Crack Because Of The Cold;” and to the Wishram of Washington and Oregon, “Shoulder To Shoulder Around The Fire Moon.”

February is a great time to spend time in family or in the community and share stories and pass on the traditions. And although snow is still abundant this time of the year, February brings with it the hope that Spring is not far.

March – The Worm Moon

March was called the Worm Moon because earthworms start to surface at this time of the year, signaling the end of winter and the start of spring. The ground begins to soften and with the reappearance of earthworms, the birds return to their homes.

Other names reflected the springtime activity of the birds and animals – for the Arapaho, March was “Buffalo Dropping Their Calves,” for the Omaha it was “Moon When Geese Come Home,” and for the Haida it was the “Noisy Goose Moon.”

March brings the Spring Equinox and the official start of the year. Now is the time to celebrate nature’s rebirth and to free oneself from anything that hinders progress.

April – The Pink Moon

The Pink Moon symbolizes the sprouting of seed and the explosion of pink flowers – the moss pink, or the wild ground phlox was one of the first flowers to bloom with the arrival of the spring.

For the Abenaki, the April Full Moon was the “Sugar Maker Moon” to the Arapaho, “Ice Breaking In The River” the Cheyenne called it “Moon When The Geese Lay Eggs” and the Cree of the Northern Plains and Canada, “Gray Goose Moon”.

Now that spring is fully here, it is time to spend time in the nature and listen to the wisdom the plants and animals have to impart.

May – The Flower Moon

In May the fields are covered with flowers and the whole world explodes in color, showing the beauty of the Great Spirit. The legends says that flowers dance in the meadows under the light of the Full Moon at this time of the year.

The Apache called May “Season When The Leaves Are Green” the Cheyenne, “Moon When The Horses Get Fat” the Choctaw, “Mulberry Moon”.

May is a good time to focus on relationships and commitments, both in spirit and love. When preparing for commitment, asking the Creator and the ancestors to provide blessings and guidance can be especially helpful right now.

June – The Strawberry Moon

June is the time to pick strawberries, now at their ripest and fullest flavor and juice. It is said that picking them by moonlight will insure bigger bounty next season.

In the summer months families used to camp near a lake or river. References to the bounty of nature were made by the Choctaw who called the Full Moon of June “Blackberry Moon” and by Lakota “Moon When The Berries Are Good.” Animal activity was also mentioned by Potawatomi who called June “Moon Of The Turtle” and the Omaha, who called it “When The Buffalo Bulls Hunt The Cows”.

June is mid-year, so it’s a great time to review what we have already done, and to plan for what’s left to do.

July – The Buck Moon

July was called the Buck Moon because the bucks grow new antlers at this time of year. By July, the bucks start rubbing their fully-grown antlers against trees to rub off the dead velvet material which covered them while growing (in winter and spring).

This full Moon was also known as the Thunder Moon, because thunderstorms are frequent during this month. The Sioux of the Great Plains called the July Full Moon “Red Blooming Lilies Moon” the Winnebago of the Great Lakes, “Corn-Popping Moon;” the Wishram, “Salmon Go Up Rivers In A Group Moon” and the Zuni, “When Limbs Of Trees Are Broken By Fruit”.

July is the month when our physical strength reaches its peak, therefore it is a good time to build or repair something around the house. It is not only our body that is stronger than ever. July is also a good time to opt to go for a vision quest or strengthen our spirit by fasting or participating to a sweat lodge ceremony.

August – The Sturgeon Moon

The Native American tribes knew that the sturgeon of the Great Lakes was most easily caught during this Full Moon, hence they called the Full Moon in August the “Sturgeon Moon”..

The Assiniboine of the Northern Plains called the August Full Moon “Black Cherries Moon” the Ponca, “Corn Is In The Silk Moon;” and the Shawnee, “Plum Moon”

Just like rivers are filled with schools of fish, providing nourishment for the body, our Spirit is ready now to receive the abundance that it deserves.

September – The Corn Moon

September marked the time of the year when corn was approaching harvest. The Native Americans used the luminosity of the moon – now brighter than ever – to harvest their bounty. The Corn Moon was the best time to finish all the harvest chores.

The Cherokee who called it “Nut Moon” in reference to the harvest, while the month’s natural changes were mentioned by the Assiniboine who called September “Yellow Leaf Moon”, the Cheyenne called it “Crying Grass Moon” while the Omaha “Moon When The Deer Paw The Earth”.

The harvesting of the crop is a good metaphor for harvesting one’s sprit. September’s Full Moon is a good time to clean and clear up any issues in one’s life. Rituals to invite forgiveness and healing of old wounds are especially beneficial now.

October – The Hunters Moon

October represents the onset of prime hunting season. Now that the deer are fattened, it is time to hunt and store provisions for the long winter ahead. After the fields have been reaped, hunters can see more easily the animals, which have come out to glean the fields.

Other Native American names for October reflect cooler temperatures and leaf shedding: for the Abenaki, October Full Moon was “Leaf Falling Moon” for the Cheyenne, “Water Begins To Freeze On Edge Of Streams Moon” for the Cree, “Moon The Birds Fly South”.

The Hunters Moon is a reminder to take care of our body and spirit and prepare it for the cold winter ahead. This is a good time to align ourselves with the nature and conduct rituals to find your personal animal guide or totem.

November – The Beaver Moon

For both the colonists and the Algonquin tribes, this was the time of the year to set beaver traps, to ensure a supply of warm furs for the winter.

Most other Native American names make reference to the increasingly cold temperatures: the Choctaw called the November Full Moon “Frost Moon” the Comanche, “Heading To Winter Moon” the Abenaki, “Freezing River Maker Moon” the Creek of the Southeast, “Moon When The Water Is black with Leaves” and the Wishram, “Snowy Mountains In The Morning Moon”.

November is a wonderful time to look for protection from whatever interferes with our spiritual evolution. The meditative atmosphere of the month and the clarity the Full Moon brings, favor a better understanding of our subconscious thoughts and dreams, and invite us to believe in them as if they were real. The Beaver Full Moon also gives us the diligence to stick to our goals.

December – The Cold Moon

Coming full circle, we find ourselves again in the realm of winter. This is the month of some of the coldest, longest and darkest nights.

The December Full Moon is also known as “Big Winter Moon” by Choctaw, or “Sun Has Traveled Home To Rest Moon” by the Zuni. The Cheyenne called December “Moon When The Wolves Run Together” and the Winnebago, “Big Bear’s Moon”.

In the cold temperatures in December the fires are blazing day and night. Surrounded by the warmth of family and of our community, we are reminded once again that we are not alone as the year comes to a close.

The Greek legend says that Venus arose from the foam of the sea shore. She is frequently pictured wafted on a large sea shell to shore as a gift from heaven, symbolizing the watery female principle, essential to the generation and balance of life. No wonder in astrology Venus is exalted in Pisces, which literally means that is in this watery placement where she is able to express herself at her best.

Pisces is ruled by the mystical Neptune, the God of the sea, who is also the higher octave of Venus. In Pisces, Venus brings all the Venusian attributes of love and beauty to higher realms – of enchanting beauty, spiritual and compassionate love and receptivity, and authentic connection.

Photo by Igor Bulgak

Just like the ocean, deep and wavy, love has now the power to conquer all the oppositions and differences. The struggle of duality between the Lower and the Higher Selves, represented by the two fish going in opposite directions (the Piscean symbol) seems to dissolve now. In the higher realms of Neptune, there is no more “me” and “you” – the spirit of Love dwells everywhere.

Another theme of Venus in Pisces is the one of sacrifice. Looking through the Neptunian lenses, sacrifice becomes the supreme gift, not out of generosity, but because in the last sign of the Zodiac, the sacrifice becomes the natural vibration of life. Life can only exist and continuously recreate itself when we have a ‘giver’ and a ‘receiver’ playing along – in this way, life propagates through all matters of existence – just to return to its immortality whatever it needs to go back into the ocean of conception, to emerge later in a different shape.

Judas who betrayed Jesus was the 12th apostle (symbolizing the sign of Pisces) – he HAD to betray Jesus because someone had to do it to fulfill the prophecy and save the world. In a way, it was only him who loved Jesus enough and sacrificed to do the ordeal.

In Pisces, Venus likes to dream, and the border between dreams, imagination and reality may change just like the boundary between the ocean and the shoreline changes with every wave, inviting us to surrender to the unknown.

Bathing in the Neptunian ocean of neverendings, Venus becomes the mermaid, the elusive and mysterious half-woman, half-fish creature which can swim in deep waters and then emerge to the surface to allure sailors with her grace and beauty.

Just like a mermaid, there is a longing in each one of us for the depths of the ocean, for that primordial environment we all emerged from, millions of years ago.

During the Venus transit in Pisces we can feel an intense longing to merge with the divine, and to escape from a reality devoid of meaning.

And this is because Venus in Pisces craves for connection – not any connection, but a spiritual connection that can last the span of lifetimes. We look now not only for romance, but for a love that will bring us a sense of higher purpose. If we start a relationship now, we will feel like the Spirit/God/Source/Universe has conspired for us and the object of our desire to meet.

In relationships, the transit of Venus in Pisces will bring a long-awaited period of warmth and connection. You will find it natural now to reestablish intimacy and to communicate about any issue that is causing distance between you and your partner.

In a relationship or not, this is the time of the year when we all crave a fairy tale romance. We now long for a deep soul mate connection, we want not only to love, but to merge with the other.

Our intuition is highly developed now, and we can relate deeply to art, poetry, nature and music. Whether you are in love right now, or longing for love, Venus in Pisces is a great time to focus on your spiritual practices, to read poetry, visit art galleries, read fantasy books, go to the church or to the ashram, or simply buy beautiful clothes, scarfs, shoes or bed linens.

January will be a highly active month. Starting with 8th of January when Mercury turns direct ALL planets will be in direct motion. It is only once a year the skies are blessing us with a Karma-free window of opportunity, so make sure you take advantage of it. All planets in direct motion will propel everything we start during this time frame forward at a high speed.

From 15th to 18th of January and from 29th to 31st even the North Node is direct – make sure you mark the dates in your calendar – this is the time of the year when you have full freedom to manifest your future.

January is dominated by Mars, the most active planet of the month which will also enter its own sign Aries at the time of the New Moon on the 27th of January. The martian energy combined with the pragmatic Capricorn energy AND all planets in direct motion make January an excellent time to start new ventures.

Let’s have a look at the most important transits of the month:

On the 2nd of January Venus enters Pisces, the sign of her exaltation. In Pisces, Venus is dreamy, imaginative and has high romantic ideals. This is an important Venus transit: usually Venus spends around 4 weeks in a sign, but because she’s now moving slower than usual – culminating with a retrogradation which will start in March – Venus will spend quite a bit of time in Pisces. More exactly, from 2nd of January until 3rd of February, and then again from the 3rd of April until 29th of April. We will have almost 2 months of Venus in Pisces energy. Venus will enters the Rx zone on the 30th of January.

On the 4th of January Mercury retrograde re-enters Sagittarius to spend one more week in the sign of the Philosopher. This short stay will reactivate some discussions or projects we started at the end of November, beginning of December.

6th of January marks the yearly meeting of the Sun with Pluto, at 17° in Capricorn. People born around 6th of January will have a highly transformative year ahead. But because Pluto is so strong and intense, all of us will encounter some sort of Plutonian themes – such as power, transformation around this date.

On 7th of January Venus is conjunct the South Node of the Moon and opposes the North Node of the Moon. This will be a very important day in matters of the heart, especially if you have planets at 4° in Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces).

On the 8th of January Mercury goes direct marking the yearly time frame when all planets are direct – this window of opportunity lasts until 6th of February.

On the 10th -11th of January Sun squares Uranus and then Jupiter, activating the Jupiter Uranus opposition. Some themes of the Jupiter Uranus opposition (the most important transit of the year) will start to emerge around this date.

Mercury re-enters Capricorn at the time of the Full Moon on the 12th of January at 22° in Cancer. Time to manifest the projects we’ve started at the time of the New Moon on the 29th of November.

On the 16th-17th of JanuaryMars activates Chiron and Saturn. Time for a reality check! This is a rather challenging transit because Mars and Saturn are very different. While Mars wants to assert himself “Look at me!” and conquer new territories, Saturn is the “ummm, maybe not” severe teacher who sets the boundaries and tells Mars what he is allowed to do and what not. Chiron is literally the KEY to transcend this never ending dynamic. With awareness we can have both: assertion and discipline to turn our initiatives into reality. Remember, we are the only ones who can set limits on what we can do.

Sun enters Aquarius on the 19th of January and our idealistic natures are stimulated. Some fresh Air energy is now more than welcome.

On the 25th of January Venus will conjunct Chiron at 21° Pisces releasing some old wounds from our hearts.

The New Moon in Aquarius takes place on the 27th of January, and in the same time Mars enters its domicile Aries. This will be a highly active new Moon – time to make some bold moves 😉

On the 29th Mercury is conjunct Pluto at 17° Capricorn – this time we won’t escape those serious conversations we’ve been postponing since Mercury went retrograde, less than a degree from Pluto.

January ends with a Mercury Uranus square on the 31st again activating the infamous Jupiter Uranus opposition. We will get now even more clues about what to expect from 2017.

You can get the Astro Butterfly calendar with all the transits of 2017 here

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